The Yin Yang Effect

by Dana Littlejohn

  “Yeah right, Sean.”

  “Don’t be mad because white boys mostly prefer Stewardess Barbie to your from the hood version.”

  “You don’t have shit else to do but mess with me, Sean?”

  “Yeah, but I can do that and mess with you at the same time, girl.”

  Krystal sucked her teeth at the laughter that roared up again at her expense and gathered her nail polishes. “Well, all I’m saying is I like my men like I like my chicken: hot and dark.” She picked up her case and walked back to the manicure room with her nose in the air.

  Sean shook his head. “Nobody was talking to her anyway…with her ghetto ass?”

  “Shut up, Sean. You’re just mad coz she’s blacker than you are.”

  He covered his client’s ears and whispered, “Fuck you, Angel.”

  Everyone’s laughter roared up again.

  “Ok guys, enough,” Opal said with a chuckle. “And just to let you guys know,

  I’m going to deal with Doug on a day by day basis and give him the same chance everyone else gets to impress me.”

  Debbie shook her head giggling. “Whatever, Chica. Anyway, guys, we wanted to give you a heads up on our vacation plans since you were here.”

  “Vacation time, huh? Where are you guys going this time?”

  “We’re going to New York to visit my family.”

  “New York, huh? That’s my second favorite vacation spot. San Francisco will always be number one for my kind.” He handed his client the mirror.

  “We won’t be gone for longer than a week, but you guys can hold down the fort while we’re gone, right?”

  “Sure,” Angel said.

  “Sean, you are amazing!” Dawn stood up and shook her head vigorously. “Look at it, it looks wonderful. I love it!”

  “Yes, darling, I know,” he said with a wave of his hand and ripped her cape off.

  “Take note, ladies. In case you missed it: I’m amazing. Forty-five dollars, please.”

  She handed him the money, still swinging her curls as she walked to the door.

  “See you in two weeks!”

  “Thank you, and on that note, I’m out to lunch. Ta!”

  Angel waved him away. “Good riddance. Now, what’s this about New York?”

  “My uncle is going to send for me and the twins so we can be there for the 4th.”

  “Do you know when you‘re leaving yet?”

  “Nope, but we‘ll keep you posted.” She looked up at the clock. “Come on, Chica, let’s go to lunch, too. I’ve got a 2 o’clock coming in.”

  Chapter 5

  The next morning, Pearl left for work, greeting the sun and the chirping birds, and left her sister pacing the floors, again.

  “Debbie, damn! Come on!”

  “I’m here, I’m here!” she said running down the stairs. “Let’s go.” She snatched her purse off the table in the in the foyer and trotted pass her out the door.

  Opal followed her out shaking her head and quickly drove them to IHOP.

  “So, what did your uncle say?” She stirred her coffee, blending the sugar and milk.

  “He said he paid for the tickets and we can leave on the 30th. He wants to give us time to take care of any business we need to do before we go.”

  “Cool. The 4th isn’t until that Sunday, so that gives us a few days to sightsee and do some stuff.”

  “Girl, yeah, we’ll have plenty of time for that, my cousins will see to that and we’ll be cool for the Monday morning flight out.”

  “Even better. I was thinking we can go back to work on that Wednesday, so we can make it a full week.”

  The waitress came over to take their order.

  “So, umm, what are you going to do about Doug?”

  She looked over her cup and countered. “What are you gonna do about Rakim?”

  She chuckled. “I asked you first.”

  She twisted her lips. “Ok. Well, I do think he’s cute. Nice lips, pretty eyes and he’s got this, I don’t know, kind of aura around him.”

  “Aura?”

  “Yes, aura. Don’t ask, I can’t explain it. All I know is when he pulled me close to him…” She paused to sip her coffee and shake her head. “Girl, my heart picked up apace and my body got to tingling everywhere…huh, who knew I’d meet someone who could do that without me helping him!” She chuckled and took another sip.

  “Well, that’s good because he and his aura are coming this way.”

  “What?” she said, almost slamming her cup down.

  “Yup, right behind you.” She nodded his way.

  “What’s up, Debbie? How you doing Opal?”

  “Hi, Doug.”

  “Hey, Doug.”

  “Mind if I sit for a minute?”

  “No, no, sit,” Opal said moving over.

  “So, you guys are headed to work, huh?”

  “Yup, but if you don’t feed Opal in the morning, it won’t be a good day for those around her.” She giggled.

  “Really? I’ll have to remember that.” He smiled.

  “Shut up, Deb. I’m not that bad, Doug.” She chuckled.

  “My crew is about to leave, but I saw you guys and had to come over and say hi. I was going to call you later to see if you were free for lunch. So, are you?”

  She looked at Debbie. “We don’t have anything planned, do we?”

  “Nothing concrete.”

  “Well, as long as I don’t have any appointments, it’s fine.”

  “Cool.” He smiled and stood. “I’ll call you later and see.”

  “Ok.”

  He stood up and side stepped, making way for the waitress to put the plates all over the table, mostly on Opal’s side.

  He chuckled and turned to leave. “Oh and, umm, Debbie, before I go…give Rakim a break. He really does like you.” He winked at her, then slid his fingers under Opal’s chin and blew her a silent kiss before he left.

  After breakfast they headed to work and worked through one of their busier Friday mornings.

  “Krystal, do you have time for a walk-in before your next appointment?” Opal shouted across the floor. “She needs a full set.”

  “Yeah, Opal, that’s fine. Send her over to the manicure room.” She snatched the cape off her client and handed her a mirror. “Ok, Rose, you’re done.”

  A satisfied smile lit up Rose’s face as she handed her the money. “Krystal girl, you do the best up-dos on the Westside. I’ll see you in two weeks.”

  “Hey, Opal! Can we turn the T.V. up? There’s some breaking news going on,” one of the ladies in the lobby said.

  “Yeah, girl, I got you.” She pulled the remote from the top draw as the phone rang. “Thank you for calling Double Your Beauty, how can I help you?”

  “Hi, Opal, it’s Doug. Are you free for lunch?”

  “Hi, Doug. Yeah, I’m free, but I don’t think I can get away anytime soon. It’s crazy here.” She put the remote down and looked up at the T.V., catching the end of the breaking news.

  “…no info yet. To recap, I’m here live at the Comfort Inn on South street

  , downtown, where two bodies were found dead this morning. The victims, an African American woman identified as Betty Lou Jackson and a Caucasian man. His identity is being withheld until his family can be notified. Both Ms. Jackson and the unidentified man were shot and killed by a single gunshot wound to the chest. The police are asking that if anyone has any information on what might have happened here to please call 555-1000. Again, there are no leads on this story. This is Chuck Jenkins, Channel Six News.”

  Opal stood slowly, staring at the T.V. as the tears began to sting her eyes.

  “Opal? Are you there?” Doug said in her ear.

  “Opal, tell me that’s not Miss Betty’s real name, is it?” the same woman asked her, tears already running down her face.

  “Oh my God,” she said into the phone. “I wish I could,” her voice was barely over a whisper.

  “Oh my God, what? What’s happening?
Opal, talk to me. What’s going on?”

  She looked at the phone as if she just realized it was in her hand. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”

  “What? Opal, wait, what’s…”

  She put the phone in its cradle and reached for the tissue box.

  Debbie came from around the corner reaching for the sign-in log. “Ok, Susan your--what’s going on?” She looked around the lobby then to Opal. “Chica, what’s wrong? What’s happened?”

  She sat hard in her chair, barely able to speak. “Miss, Miss Betty is dead,” she squeaked out, breathing hard; shaking her head. “Somebody shot her in a hotel downtown,” she forced out, wiping the tears away.

  No words came to her. Only a choking sound accompanied the tears that welled in her eyes. Debbie returned to the floor to spread the unhappy news to the others, and then came back with them to comfort Opal and the other ladies in the lobby.

  Opal, unable to control the tears that fell freely down her cheeks, sat back down and flipped through her rolodex.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I don’t have Jackie’s number, but I have Miss Betty’s. I’m hoping she or her sister will be at her house so I can offer our condolences.”

  “Ok, we’ll try to get back to work.” Debbie turned to see the others urging their clients back to the floor. “Come on, Susan, you’re up, girl,” she said sadly as they both walked to the styling floor.

  Opal continued flipping as the phone rang. “Double Your Beauty, how can I help you?”

  “Opal, have you seen the news?” her sister asked her frantically.

  “Yes, Pearl.” She sniffed, wiping her face. “I’ve seen it.”

  “Oh God, Opal, what happened? Miss Betty wouldn’t hurt a fly. Who could do something like this?”

  “I don’t know, Pearl.”

  “She was like another mother to us, one of our first clients.” She sniffed again.

  “I know, I was just looking for her number to call her daughter to offer our condolences.” She sighed. “How did you see it? Aren’t you at school?”

  “Yes, but I was in the break room finishing lunch.” She blew her nose. “I can’t believe this, Opal. Miss Betty is gone,” she said unable to stop the deep sobs from coming again.

  “I know, Pearl.” She wiped away fresh tears. “I was gonna ask her advice about Doug when she came in. I had a lunch date with him today, but we’re getting slammed. I don’t even know if I should go.”

  “Doug? Oh yeah, Rakim’s friend.” She sighed. “I don’t think Miss Betty would want us thinking like this. Call her daughter and pass on our condolences, then call Doug. Keep your lunch date, ok?”

  She sighed sadly. “Ok, see you at dinner. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  She hung up and dropped her head on the desk and cried again. Hearing the bells, she lifted her head to look into Doug’s worried face.

  “Opal, baby, what’s wrong?” He leaned over the counter. “You just hung up and…oh, man. It’s not your sister, is it? Where’s Debbie? Is Debbie ok?” He looked around the wall.

  “No, no…” She reached for a tissue and waved it around. “It’s not them, they’re fine.” She wiped her eyes and blew her nose. “We were watching the 12 o’clock news and one of our clients was killed in a hotel downtown. Somebody shot her. She was like a second mother to all of us in here.”

  He came around the counter and pulled her into a hug. “Aww, man. I’m sorry about your old lady, baby.”

  Surprisingly she felt safe in his arms as he held her.

  He let her cry and sat her down when she stopped.

  “It’s so hard to believe, Doug. She was the sweetest lady in the world...came in like clockwork, every week, once for her nails, once for her hair. She always said, you should look good for yourself, but it didn’t hurt if the world liked it, too.” She chuckled sadly. “She could’ve done it at the same time, but she said we were her other children and she had to spend time with us, too. She cooked for us, answered any of our questions on everything and gave us good old-fashioned advice,” she said in a sad, exhausted voice.

  She chuckled and offered him a sad little smile. “She would definitely put us in our place like a mother, too, when we did or said something she felt was out of line.”

  Doug smiled with her, but said nothing.

  She shook her head and new tears fell. “It would be different if she were sick or something. Kinda easier to deal with, you know? I mean, she was old, not that old, but, she didn’t just die--some fool killed her!” She snatched up another tissue and wiped her eyes, again, then she chuckled. “I’m sorry. I must look like a hot mess.”

  He dropped to his knees and pulled her chair to him. “Hey, you look beautiful to me.” He kissed her forehead and shrugged. “You obviously loved that old lady.” He stood and pulled her to her feet again. “Come on, you need some air.”

  She took a deep breath. “No, no, I don’t know, Doug. I was trying to call Miss Betty‘s family and…”

  “Hey, just a quick walk around the block.”

  She sighed. “Doug…”

  “Come on; let me try to cheer you up.” He smiled and pushed her gently towards the styling the floor. “Go ahead; tell your girl where you’re going.”

  She nodded and walked across the floor.

  He watched her go and walked out the front door pulling out his cell phone.

  “What’s up, Ra? Dude, you ain’t gonna believe this. I’m down at Opal and Debbie’s shop and some sad shit done went down.” He paused, listening.

  “Naah, man, that’s the first thing I asked. They’re cool. It’s one of their clients, some old chick that’s been coming since they opened.” He paused, again. “Yeah, she got popped in a hotel downtown. It was on the news and everything.” He listened, looking through the window watching Opal talk to Debbie. “Yeah man, the whole damn place is sad, even the fag is crying.” Another pause.

  “I was telling you because I thought you might want to come down here and offer your girl some kind of comforting.” Another pause. “I don’t know, man, think of something, make up a reason. Hey, I gotta go, Opal’s coming. Later.” He closed his phone and shoved it in his pocket. “You ok, baby?”

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine. Once they’re done with the clients that are inside we’re going to close early. A moment of silence kind of thing. We don’t get that many appointments late on Fridays, just walk-ins.”

  “You’re not open on Saturdays?”

  “Yeah, we’re open, but Debbie and I don’t work on Saturdays.”

  He smiled. “Ahh, a perk to being the owners, huh?”

  “Yeah.” She chuckled. “I guess it is.”

  He grabbed her hand and kissed it as they walked down the street. “I know you’re sad, baby, if there is anything I can do to make it go away...”

  She stopped and looked up into his honey gold eyes that were full of sincerity. Touching his golden goatee she traced it and his lips and smiled. “Thanks, that alone helps.”

  ***

  Later that night, the girls were making dinner as the phone rang. Pearl looked at the name flashing on the phone and picked it up.

  “Hi, Jake, it’s me.”

  “Hi, baby, I got your message. What’s wrong, you sounded so upset?”

  “Oh, Jake, I needed to talk to you so bad. Something terrible has happened.”

  “It’s not your sister is it?”

  “No, Opal and Debbie are both fine.” She wrapped the last potato in foil and put it in the oven.

  Opal tapped her shoulder. “We’ll finish up.”

  “Thanks, Opal.” She switched the phones position and walked out of the kitchen.

  “Some kid handed me this when Doug and I were walking today.” She handed

  Debbie a small flyer from her pocket.

  THE GRAND OPENING OF CLUB CALIENTE`!

  COME DRESSED TO IMPRESS TO

  THE BLACK AND WHITE BALL!

  DATE: JUNE 19th, 2004 />
  TIME: 9:00- UNTIL LATE

  PLACE: CLUB CALIENTE` ON THE CANAL.

  ½ PRICE FOR ALL IN BLACK OR WHITE ATTIRE.

  “Hmm, be right back.” Debbie walked into the living room, handed Pearl the flyer and returned to the kitchen. “I gave Pearl the flyer. That party is the perfect place to meet Jake.”

  “What? You didn’t think it was a good idea for him to come here and meet us?”

  She twisted her lips.

  “Fine, fine.” She grabbed three glasses from the cabinet. “The steaks are almost done, get the wine.”

  Pearl walked in. “Jake thinks the party is a great idea.” She sat at the table, taking a glass from Opal and held it out for Debbie. “I’m going over there after dinner.”

  “I was just telling Chica the same thing. It’ll be a great place for us to meet.”

  “Doug said he never gets the chance to really dress up. He works at Daimler-Chrysler on the Westside and says he wears a blue jumpsuit all the time.”

  “Yeah, that’s what Jake said, except he stays in his greasy overalls all the time.”

  She giggled. “I’m kind of looking forward to seeing what he looks like all dressed up.”

  “Great! Let’s toast to the six of us and the good time we’re going to have at the black and white ball.”

  Opal and her sister raised their glasses, but not Debbie.

  “What six?” she asked, confused.

  “What do you mean, ‘what six?’”

  “What six? You, me, Pearl, Jake and Doug,” she answered counting her fingers.

  “That’s five.”

  Opal put her glass down. “Girl, please. You know damn well that as soon as Doug got away from me he told Rakim about the party. He’s number six, you know he’ll be there, too.”

  “Rakim? Oh please, Chica. It’s a black tie affair. What’s he going to wear, girl? A pair of brand new black FUBU jeans and a clean white tee shirt? That‘s all he wears, you know. FUBU this and FUBU that,” she said laughing.

  “Debbie!” Pearl laughed with her.

  She shrugged and sipped her drink, excepting the plate Opal handed her.

  “You were wrong for that, Deb.” She handed Pearl a plate and went back for her own. “I think he can and will surprise you,” she added, sitting.